There was in former times at Casgar, upon the utmost borders of Tartary, a tailor who had a pretty wife, whom he ardently loved, and by whom he was loved in return.  One day, as he sat at work, a little hunch-back my lord came and sat down at the shop-door, began singing, at same time playing upon a tabor.  The tailor was pleased to hear him, and had a strong mind to take him to his house to make his wife merry:  This little fellow, said he to his wife, will divert us both very agreeably.  In fine, he invited my lord, who readily accepted of the invitation; the tailor then shut up his shop, and conducted him in.  The little gentleman being arrived at the tailor’s house, his wife covered the table, and they sat down to sup on a good large dish of fish; but as they ate heartily, the little crooked gentleman unluckily swallowed a large bone, of which he died in a few minutes, notwithstanding all the tailor and his wife could do to prevent it.  Both were mightily frightened at the accident, especially as it happened in their house; and there was reason to fear, that if the justiciary magistrates should hear of it, they would be punished as assassins.  The husband, however, found an expedient to get rid of the corpse:  recollecting that there was a Jewish doctor who lived just by, he formed a project, to execute which, his wife and he took the corpse, the one by the feet and the other by the head, and carried it to the physician’s house.  They knocked at the door, from which ascended a steep pair of stairs to his chamber.  As soon as they bad knocked, the servant-maid came down without any light; and, opening the door, asked what they wanted.  Pr’ythee, go up again, said the tailor, and tell your master we have brought him a man that is very sick, and wants his advice.  Here, putting a piece of money into her hand, give him that beforehand, to convince him that we have no mind to make him lose his labour.  While the servant was gone up to acquaint her master with the welcome news, the tailor and his wife nimbly conveyed the hunch-backed corpse to the head of the stairs; and, leaving it there, ran off.

In the mean time, the maid, having told the doctor that a man and a woman staid for him at the door, desiring he would come down and look upon a sick man they had brought with them, and the maid clapping the money she had received into his hand, the doctor was transported with joy; being paid beforehand, he thought it was a good job, and should not be neglected.  Light, light! cried he to the maid; follow me nimbly.  However, without staying for the light, he got to the stair-head in such haste, that stumbling against the corps, he gave it such a kick, as made it tumble down quiite to the stair-foot, and with difficulty saved himself.  A light, a light! cried he to the maid, quick, quick! at last the maid came with a light, and he went down stairs with her; but when he gav that the stumbling-block he had kicked down was a dead man, he was so frightened, that he invoked